Just Zoo It! Winners Announced in 4 Counties Somerset 5th Grade Class gets to name a Red Wolf at the Zoo

﻿SALISBURY -- The Delmarva Zoological Society Prize Patrol visited five schools in four counties last week to surprise the classes that raised the most money through the Just Zoo It! program, a fundraiser that in total has raised more than $114,000 since it began in 2011. This is the fourth year that students across the Lower Shore have collected coins and cash in special Just Zoo It! containers for the Delmarva Zoological Society, the non-profit that raises money for capital improvement projects at the Salisbury Zoo. The class that raised the most in each county is rewarded with a special VIP trip to the Zoo in the spring to meet Zookeepers, learn about the collection of animals, enjoy a pizza party, cupcakes, and take home a t-shirt and a Zoo stuffed animal. This year's overall winner - the class that raised the most in Worcester, Wicomico, Dorchester, Somerset and private schools - is Ms. Kolby Noble's 5th grade class from Deal Island Elementary. This is a class of ALLSTAR fundraisers, who have won every year they've participated in Just Zoo It! As third graders, they won. As fourth graders, they won. And now, as fifth graders they've won the GRAND PRIZE, and will be able to create a lasting legacy for their class and their school at the Salisbury Zoo. Ms. Noble's class raised $400.11 in nickels, dimes and quarters, and will get the opportunity to choose a name for the Zoo's female Red Wolf, which was born at the Salisbury Zoo in 2008. "We are so appreciative of every student who helped collect coins for the Salisbury Zoo," said Ralph Piland, Zoo Director. "But this class has clearly shown their commitment year after year to helping our Zoo prosper. Those kids are really helping to make a difference in their community, and have learned that giving back can be a rewarding experience." The winners include:

Students all across Delmarva participated in the Just Zoo It! campaign last fall during Halloween collecting coins for the Delmarva Zoological Society. Overall, the campaign in 2014 raised more than $29,000 for DZS, and since it began four years ago, has raised more than $114,000. All the money raised goes to help Renew the Zoo, including several projects that are already under way. The new Discover Australia exhibit, featuring wallabies, was opened earlier than scheduled thanks to the first Just Zoo It! campaign in 2011. DZS has partnered with area schools who distributed the specially-made Just Zoo It cans which were donated by Pepsi Bottling Ventures in Salisbury. The staff at Lower Shore Enterprises helped wrap the cans with the Just Zoo It labels and warehouse space was donated by Vernon Powell Shoes. All of the coins were counted by employees at First Shore Federal. "Seeing how much students all over the Delmarva Peninsula love the Zoo helps motivate us to work even harder to make sure we have an outstanding Zoo in our community," said DZS Board Chair Ashley Bosche. "We know how special the Zoo is and it's gratifying to see it reflected in the excitement every year of these students who want to do something to give back." The Delmarva Zoological Society is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that was created to raise funds for the Salisbury Zoo. To learn more about Just Zoo It or DZS, go to RenewTheZoo.com or call (410) 742-3977.﻿ To see photos of the surprise announcements, click HERE.

JUST ZOO IT campaign kicks off at Halloween!Class that raises the most earns VIP trip to the Zoo and right to name a wallaby!

SALISBURY -- Students from four counties will be out trick or treating this Halloween and asking for more than just candy. They are part of the Delmarva Zoological Society's Just Zoo It! campaign to raise money for capital improvement projects at the Salisbury Zoo.

This is the third year for Just Zoo It!, which has raised more than $55,000 in nickels, dimes and quarters for DZS. All the money raised goes to help Renew the Zoo, including several projects that are already under way.

The new Discover Australia exhibit, featuring wallabies which are a smaller version of a kangaroo, was opened earlier than scheduled thanks to the first Just Zoo It! campaign in 2011.

DZS has partnered with area schools to distribute the specially-made Just Zoo It cans which were donated by Pepsi Bottling Ventures in Salisbury. The staff at Lower Shore Enterprises helped wrap the cans with the Just Zoo It labels.

"Our Just Zoo It! teams visited classrooms in schools all across the Lower Shore last week, and we are always so thrilled to see how much our students love the Zoo," said Stacey Weisner, executive director of DZS. "We have a new bear mascot that has been tagging along on our school visits and it was exciting to tell the kids about our new bear cub Chaska who now lives at the Zoo."

The class that raises the most money from each county will be rewarded with a special all-expense paid trip to the Zoo this spring, including a pizza party, t-shirts donated by Robinson's Family of Businesses, and a stuffed animal to take home. They also get to meet Zookeepers and interact with some of the animals during a special tour.

This year the class that raises the most overall from all four counties will also get to pick a name for one of the male wallabies at the Zoo.

For the first time, parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors can donate online atwww.RenewTheZoo.com to help that child's classroom reach their fund-raising goals.

Filled cans should be returned to each child's classroom for credit for that class before November 12th. Filled cans can also be dropped of at any First Shore Federal or Bank of Delmarva locations.

The Delmarva Zoological Society is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that was created to raise funds for the Salisbury Zoo. To learn more about Just Zoo It or DZS, go to RenewTheZoo.com or call(410) 742-3977.

Four New Board Members Join Delmarva Zoological Society Board; New Chairman Also Named to Lead Organization

SALISBURY -- Four outstanding citizens have joined the Board of Directors of the Delmarva Zoological Society, the non-profit organization that raises money for capital improvement projects and exhibits at the Salisbury Zoo. New board officers elected at the July board meeting are: Chairman, Roxane L. Gabrielson, a CPA and Manager at PKS & Company, PA; Vice Chairman, Ashley A. Bosche, Esquire with Cockey, Brennan & Maloney, PC; Secretary, Amy Taylor Sevigny, Esquire with Otway, Russo & Rommel, PC; and Treasurer, Cheryl Young, Vice President of First Shore Federal Savings and Loan. "This is an exciting time to be a part of the Delmarva Zoological Society," Gabrielson said. "We are proud of the work we've done to Renew the Zoo and there are many exciting projects on the horizon. " She added that the new Board members offer a variety of expertise and enthusiasm for the mission of the Delmarva Zoological Society. They include: Arlette Bright, Esquire, is a Parkside high school graduate and Salisbury native who went on to graduate from The American University and from Widener Law School in Wilmington, Del. She worked at various prestigious law firms before moving back to the area and opening her own practice, The Law Offices of Arlette Bright, P.C. Arlette specializes in Corporate and Business Law, Estate Planning, and Estate and Trust Administration. She resides in Ocean City along with her husband, Bruce and their three children. Dr. Margo Handy is the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Student Services for the Wicomico County Public School System, where she works with administrators, teachers, and parents throughout the school district to ensure quality instructional and behavioral programs and practices for every student. Margo graduated from Morgan State University with a Master of Education, and Wilmington University with a Phd in Educational Leadership and has earned numerous awards and accolades throughout her career. She has previously served as Director of Elementary Education, Supervisor of the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program and Education That is Multicultural, and Principal of Pemberton Elementary School and Prince Street School. Judy Herman is originally from the Baltimore area and moved to Salisbury in 2007, where she quickly became active in her Homeowner’s Association and the Green Hill Country Club. Her 2011 diagnosis of breast cancer lead her to Women Supporting Women, a local grass roots organization, where she joined their Board of Directors that same year. Judy has been volunteering with DZS for a number of years, and is credited with the original idea for Just Zoo It!, the fund-raising campaign where students collect coins for the Zoo at Halloween. Just Zoo It! has raised more than $50,000 since being introduced in 2011. Judy and her husband, Ed, reside in Quantico. Tom Johnson is the owner and CEO of Eastern Shore Forest Products, Inc., and serves as the Chairman of the board of The Salisbury School Educational Foundation. Tom was born and raised on a small farm outside of Salisbury where he currently lives with his wife, Anita and their daughter, Lindsey. He has spent many years traveling visiting zoos and animal parks throughout the country, both public and private, and has a wealth of knowledge about the rearing and housing of various animal species. There are currently more than thirty different species of animals on his farm.

Roxane L. Gabrielson

Arlette Bright

Dr. Margo Handy

Judy Herman

Tom Johnson

New wallaby exhibit opens at Salisbury Zoo!First phase of Discover Australia! opens year early

SALISBURY -- The first phase of the new Discover Australia! Exhibit at the Salisbury Zoological Park opened on Friday, December 14th, when the ribbon was cut on the new wallaby exhibit. The exhibit, featuring two male wallabies, opened at least a year ahead of schedule as a result of community support through the Just Zoo It campaign, said Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton. The wallabies were acquired from the Trevor Teaching Zoo in Milbrook, N.Y. and are a little more than a year old. Two females and a third male wallaby will join them in the exhibit sometime in 2013. Joining Mayor Ireton and members of the Salisbury City Council at the ribbon cutting were honorary guests including eight-year-old Salisbury resident Brooke Mulford. Other dignitaries included Zoo Director Joel Hamilton, Salisbury City Council President Terry Cohen, Salisbury City Council member Laura Mitchell, Del. Norm Conway (D-38th), Delmarva Zoological Society Chair Amy Taylor Sevigny, members of the Zoo Commission and Friends of the Zoo. Brooke will also have the honor of naming one of the two wallabies. The other wallaby's name was chosen after an essay contest in a local elementary school. (see background info below.)Background: The funding for the new exhibit was provided through the Delmarva Zoological Society's Renew the Zoo Capital Campaign which raised more than $3 million for three important projects at the Zoo. The wallaby exhibit is being funded by a generous $300,000 matching grant from the Richard A. Henson Foundation, a gift from the Hallowell Foundation, along with funds collected through the Just Zoo It! campaign which involved area school children collecting coins for the Zoo at Halloween in 2011 and 2012. Traditionally, the Zoo has featured animals from North and South America, so Discover Australia! is introducing a whole new continent of species to the Zoo. This is the first phase of the exhibit, which will be expanded later next year to include emus, and ultimately will feature a walk-in aviary, funded by the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, where visitors will be able to interact with various birds including lorikeets and kookaburras. The Renew The Zoo Capital Campaign is funding three projects at the Zoo: the Discover Australia exhibit, a new animal health clinic, and a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center. The Delmarva Zoological Society is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that raises funds for capital improvement projects at the Zoo. To learn more, go to www.RenewTheZoo.com or call (410) 742-3977.What is a wallaby? The red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus), is also known as the Bennett's wallaby. The medium-size marsupial comes from Tasmania and the more temperate parts of eastern Australia. Red-necked wallabies are distinguished by their black nose and paws, white stripe on the upper lip, and grizzled medium grey coat with a reddish wash across the shoulders. Full grown, they weigh 30 to 40 pounds and can be approximately three feet tall. The Bennett's wallaby is distinguished from other types of red-necked wallabies in that it is smaller (as island species often are), has longer, shaggier fur, and breeds in the late summer, mostly between February and April. (Remember, that is summer in the land down under!) Red-necked wallabies are mainly solitary but will gather together when there's an abundance of resources such as food, water or shelter. A group of wallabies is called a "mob".Do these wallabies have names? Yes! The class that raised the most money last year during the Just Zoo It! campaign also did an essay contest to come up with a name for the first wallaby. The naming rights were purchased at a charity event by Frank and Kim Nechay whose daughter Abbigail decided to let her class choose the best name, so every student in teacher Jen Fenzel's 5th grade class at Westside Intermediate wrote a persuasive essay to convince a panel of judges, including Abbigail, that they had selected the best name. The winning essay was submitted by Alannah Raygor, and she chose the name Irwin, after the Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin. The name of the second wallaby - Skipper - was chosen by Brooke Mulford, which she said came from the movie Madagascar.

SALISBURY – Delmarva Zoological Society officials have raised more than $3 million to exceed the fund-raising goal of the Renew the Zoo capital campaign, Board President J.P. DuBuque announced Saturday evening at Zoobilation. “This community has rallied to support our Zoo and we could not be more proud,” DuBuque said. “We are so excited to make this announcement, and to humbly offer the community a big Thank You for all they’ve done to make it possible. And we are also excited to announce that we are accelerating the construction of our new Discover Australia exhibit with the hopes of introducing wallabies to Salisbury this Fall.” The capital campaign began more than three years ago to fund three projects: a new animal health clinic to treat sick and injured animals and offer quarantine space in case of disease. The second project is to replace the Visitor’s Center with a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center offering interactive exhibits available anytime the Zoo is open. And finally, the Discover Australia exhibit, bringing a whole new continent of species to the Zoo including wallabies -- a smaller version of the Kangaroo -- and a walk-in aviary. The campaign received strong support from the Richard and Patricia Hazel Charitable Fund, the Richard A. Henson Foundation, Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, George and Anne Miller, the Phillip and Barbara Long Family Foundation, the city of Salisbury, Eastern Shore delegation to the General Assembly, the Salisbury Zoo Commission, area corporations, small businesses, hundreds of individual donors, and thousands of Wicomico County school children. “It seems so fitting that our area students pushed us over the top,” said Mayor Jim Ireton, who is also a public school teacher. “When I saw how excited those kids were to help collect coins for the Zoo, as part of the Just Zoo It campaign, I knew just how special this Zoo is to our community.” The Just Zoo It! Campaign, which partnered with the Wicomico County Board of Education and five area private schools last fall, gave coin collection cans to students to collect coins on Halloween and raised more than $30,000 for the Discover Australia exhibit. “We are so blessed by the generosity of this community,” said Campaign Chairman Marty Neat. “The Zoo is one of those places that makes Salisbury special, but so too is our giving heart. This campaign has proved that once again.”

Top Fundraising Classes are Westside Intermediate and The Salisbury School

SALISBURY –November, 2011 – Salisbury Renew the Zoo campaign officials are excited to announce that the Just Zoo It! fundraising project raised a grand total of $30,589.68 to help bring Discover Australia exhibits to the Salisbury Zoo.

“When the final tally came in I think our Wallaby mascot started jumping up and down for joy,” said Marty Neat, chairman of the Renew the Zoo campaign. “The final number far exceeded our expectations. We are thrilled that the students of Wicomico County, the Board of Education and local businesses embraced this project and helped in making it such a huge success. We couldn’t have done it without their support.”

Counting Coins & Crunching NumbersThe bulk of the money raised came from the pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters that children collected in their Just Zoo It! cans on Halloween night. (weighing in at nearly two tons!). The cans also contained a few checks, and in one case, a $100 bill. Local businesses also helped out by displaying a Just Zoo It! container for the month of October.

“It was so fun to see the excitement in the eyes of so many kids who realized they could help the Salisbury Zoo,” said Mayor Jim Ireton. “As an educator, it’s always fun to see what kids can accomplish. We know the Salisbury Zoo means a lot to this community, and this fundraiser proves that.”

And The Winners Are:Congratulations to Westside Primary (public) and The Salisbury School (private) for being the top two fundraising schools (per student). The two individual classes that raised the most money were Mrs. April Ferrell’s 4thgrade class at Westside Intermediate and Ms.Stephanie Krisulveicz’s 5th grade class at The Salisbury School. Their hard work and dedication earned the classes a free bus trip and VIP tour of the Zoo where they will see zookeepers interacting with the animals, and a lunch party. The class will also get to take part in an enrichment opportunity that will allow them to build something in their classroom, that they later will get to see in use at the Zoo. “We want to showcase how we work with the animals at the Zoo, and hope to inspire all of the children to take interest in the world around them, respect nature, and work towards helping the environment,” said Joel Hamilton, Salisbury Zoo director. “The effort shown by these children was incredible. I can’t wait to introduce them to the wallabies and some of the amazing birds of Australia.”Each child that turned in a collection container earned a free “Joey” meal gift card from Outback Steakhouse in Salisbury. Schools also earned $25 Outback gift cards for their Parent Teacher Association (PTA) depending on how much they raised.

A total of 22 schools participated in the Just Zoo It! project :Asbury Child Development Center The Salisbury SchoolStepping Stones Early Learning Center TenderHeart Child CareWicomico Day School Beaver Run ElementaryChipmanElementary Delmar ElementaryEast Salisbury Elementary Fruitland IntermediateFruitland Primary Glen Avenue ElementaryNorth Salisbury Elementary Northwestern ElementaryPemberton Elementary Pinehurst ElementaryPittsville Elementary & Middle Prince Street ElementaryWest Salisbury Elementary Westside IntermediateWestside Primary Willards Elementary About Just Zoo It!The Just Zoo It! project, an extension of the Renew the Zoo capital campaign was developed to give kids the opportunity to be a part of the Salisbury Zoo’s makeover and have fun doing it. All of the money collected through the Just Zoo It! initiative will help fund the proposed Discover Australia exhibit at the Zoo. The new exhibit will showcase some of the land down under, including the wallaby (a smaller version of the kangaroo) and a walk-thru aviary where visitors will be able to feed lorikeets and other birds up close. Sponsors ofJust Zoo It! include Outback Steakhouse, Pepsi, Robinson Family of Businesses, Clear Channel Outdoor,WMDT, and The Daily Times.

Renew the Zoo campaign Kicks Off Just Zoo It!Community Partners and Kids Working Together to Help Renew the Zoo

SALISBURY – September, 2011 – When you see tigers and bears approaching your door this Halloween they may be armed with more than a bucket of candy. This year children in Wicomico County may ask you to pull out your spare change to make a contribution to the Just Zoo It! project – an extension of the Renew the Zoo campaign – for the Salisbury Zoo. “As we approach the final stages of our $3 million capital campaign, we want to involve the one group of people that benefits from the Zoo more than any other – the kids,” said Marty Neat, chairman of the Renew the Zoo campaign, at the official launch of Just Zoo It! at Outback Steakhouse on September 29th. “Just Zoo It! will give kids the opportunity to be a part of the Zoo’s makeover and have fun doing it.” All money collected by students and local business partners through the Just Zoo It! initiative will help fund the new Discover Australia exhibits at the Zoo. The new exhibits will showcase some of the land down under, including the wallaby (a smaller version of the kangaroo) and a walk-thru aviary where visitors will be able to feed the birds up close.

How you can Just Zoo It!

Most Wicomico County public and private schools are participating to help distribute the coin canisters to area school children. If your child doesn’t come home from school with a Just Zoo It! coin canister, you can pick one up beginning October 15th at the Salisbury Zoo, the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce (144 E Main Street), or either Salisbury location of Barb’s Gift and Hallmark (805 S Salisbury Blvd / 313 Civic Ave). On Halloween night when your kids go trick-or-treating with a grown up, they can ask friends and neighbors for donations of spare change to help the Salisbury Zoo get a new makeover. Canisters should be returned the week following Halloween per the instructions of each school. For other drop off times and locations, please visit www.RenewTheZoo.com. Each child that turns back in a collection container will earn a free “Joey” meal gift card from Outback Steakhouse in Salisbury. Classes that raise more than $250 will earn $25 Outback gift cards for their Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The class that raises the most money for the Zoo will win a bus trip and VIP tour of the Zoo where they will see zookeepers interacting with the animals, and a pizza party lunch. Local businesses can also Just Zoo It! by displaying business collection cans for their customers to fill for the month of October leading up to Halloween. Sponsors of Just Zoo It! include Outback Steakhouse, Pepsi, Robinson Family of Businesses, Clear Channel Outdoor, WMDT, and The Daily Times. To be a sponsor of Just Zoo It! or to get a collection can for your business, contact Stacey Weisner at the Delmarva Zoological Society at 410-742-3977.

Renew the Zoo

For more than 50 years the Salisbury Zoo has been a showplace on Delmarva attracting more than 300,000 visitors a year to enjoy the animals and their natural habitats. Over the years, the animal collection has grown, the exhibits have changed, and the educational opportunities have expanded. With a vision to better enhance the zoo experience, for both the animals and the visiting public, the Salisbury Zoo launched Renew the Zoo, a $3 million capital campaign to provide critical infrastructure upgrades for the zoo. “We have been so fortunate to have the strong support of this community for this capital campaign,” said Stacey Weisner, executive director of the Delmarva Zoological Society which is overseeing the campaign. “With the generosity of the Richard A. Henson Foundation, the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the Philip and Barbara Long Family Foundation, and the Hazel Family, as well as many local businesses and outstanding individuals, we are excited to be so close to our goal.” In addition to the Discover Australia exhibit, the Salisbury Zoo plans on adding a new state-of-the-art animal health clinic to treat sick or injured animals from the zoo’s collection and to quarantine new animal arrivals at the zoo. Another addition to the zoo will be the William E. Morgan Environmental Center. This will be an eco-friendly facility where learning will come naturally. Using the best green technology available and providing a more interactive experience for Zoo visitors, the new Environmental Center (located on the current Visitor's Center site) will enhance the Zoo experience for the more than 20,000 students who visit each year.

Bank of America donates $25,000 to Renew the Zoo Capital Campaign

SALISBURY -- The Bank of America has donated $25,000 to the Salisbury Zoo's Renew the Zoo Capital campaign, zoo officials announced last week. The donation will be used for a new docent learning area within the all new William E. Morgan Environmental Center which is being planned as part of the Renew the Zoo campaign. These learning centers are where zoo staff and volunteers will be able to talk to small groups of visitors and show them animals up close, or talk about an animal's habitat or behavior. The new environmental center will have two learning centers - one outside and one inside to accommodate visitors year round. "We are proud to support the Salisbury Zoo and the vital role it plays in our community," said Monty Sayler, senior vice president at Bank of America. "It is a real treasure that has been educating and entertaining families for generations. We hope it will be here for the next generation as well." The $3 million Renew the Zoo capital campaign which the Delmarva Zoological Society launched last year has three goals: a new animal health clinic which is currently under construction, a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center, and an entirely new exhibit of Australian animals called Discover Australia! "We are grateful to Bank of America for supporting the Salisbury Zoo," said DZS president J.P. Dubuque. "We have received overwhelming support from this community which reinforces to us how important our zoo is to everyone. We look forward to making it better and better." To learn more about the capital campaign, go to www.renewthezoo.com or call DZS executive director Stacey Weisner at (410) 742-3977.

Salisbury Zoo unveils new "Zoo to You" vehicleLong Family Foundation Made it Possible

Angie McLaughlin and Julie Gardner

SALISBURY -- If you see an ocelot peering out at you from the vehicle in front of you as you drive around the Delmarva Peninsula, don't be alarmed. It's just the new Zoo to You education vehicle that now belongs to the Salisbury Zoo. Thanks to a generous $100,000 donation from the Philip and Barbara Long Family Foundation, the education outreach vehicle -- which is wrapped in colorful zoo animals and greenery -- will be used to bring Zoo education animals and knowledgeable staff, docents and volunteers to classrooms, senior centers, festivals and events all across Delmarva. "We're excited about all the ways in which this new education vehicle will expand our ability to carry out our mission of educating and enlightening more people to the natural world around us," said Zoo Director Joel Hamilton. "It highlights the public/private partnership we have at the Zoo and the support we enjoy in this community." The Delmarva Zoological Society (DZS), a non-profit organization set up to help the Zoo raise funds, purchased the energy efficient Ford Escape hybrid with funds donated by the Long Family Foundation. DZS officially donated the vehicle to the City of Salisbury in a ceremony held July 14, 2011.. DZS is overseeing a $3 million capital campaign called Renew the Zoo to help give the Zoo a makeover, including a new animal health clinic which is currently under construction, building a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center, and adding an entirely new exhibit of Australian animals called Discover Australia! The outreach vehicle is a part of the Renew the Zoo campaign. "We are honored to help the Zoo with this very worthwhile campaign," said Julie Gardner, representing the Long family. "The outreach vehicle will be a traveling ambassador for the Zoo -- bringing the Zoo's exhibits out into the community to educate and inspire a love of wildlife and conservation." "This not only increases our visibility in the community, it will bring the Zoo directly to the people we serve," said J.P. Dubuque, president of the Delmarva Zoological Society. "I've grown up with this Zoo and I'm so grateful to the everyone who is committed to making sure our Zoo is here for the next generation to enjoy." To learn more about the Renew the Zoo campaign and how to help, go to www.renewthezoo.com or call DZS Executive Director Stacey Weisner at (410) 742-3977.

PKS Donates $10,000 to Renew the Zoo campaign

SALISBURY -- The local accounting and business firm of PKS & Company, P.A., has pledged $10,000 to the Renew the Zoo capital campaign in Salisbury. The $3 million capital campaign will help fund three capital projects at the zoo: a new animal health clinic which broke ground in March; a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center; and an entirely new exhibit of Australian animals.

"We recognize that the Salisbury Zoo is a local treasure, and our commiment to the community means we give back," said John M. Stern, Jr., CPA, Managing Partner at PKS. "We are excited about the future of the Zoo,and feel this investment will help make it the best it can be."

"There are a lot of worthy causes in our community, and we're thrilled that PKS has chosen the Salisbury Zoo for such a significant investment," said Renew the Zoo General Campaign Chairman Marty Neat. "That speaks to their commitment to Salisbury but it also speaks to the Zoo's importance to the fabric of this community."

The PKS donation will help fund a new outdoor interactive exhibit as part of the new William E. Morgan Environmental Center. These interactive exhibits will help encourage children to learn more about the world around them while having fun.

PKS & Company, P. A. is a full service accounting firm with offices in Salisbury, MD, Ocean City, MD and Lewes, DE providing traditional accounting services as well as specialized services in the areas of retirement plan administration, medical practice consulting, human resource consulting and payroll services and offers financial planning and investments through PKS Investment Advisors, LLC.

For more information about the Renew the Zoo campaign or to donate call Stacey Weisner, executive director of the Delmarva Zoological Society at (443) 880-8627.

Zoobilation proud to have LORA back for the Wildest Party of the Year!

SALISBURY -- Want to Party with the Animals? Come to the Salisbury Zoo for the Wildest Party of the year! With generous help from the Local Owner Restaurant Association (LORA), you will be able come and celebrate safari style on Saturday, May 21st, 2011, from 5 pm - 10pm.

Over 18 local restaurants – all members of LORA -- will be serving up their best cuisine. Listen to the sounds of the Bonedaddys, a classic rock band and local favorite. Satisfy your taste buds, learn about your favorite animals and participate in the biggest Zoo party of the year!

Come support your Zoo, and local restaurants for an adventure to remember. Must be 21 or older to attend. Dress is safari casual. Food will be served 5:00pm – 7:30pm, and the Bonedaddys will take the stage at 8 pm.

Tickets are $60 and $50 for Zoo members and can be purchased online by clicking here, or stop by any branch of First Shore Federal. Or call Stacey at the Delmarva Zoological Society at (443) 880-8627. Tickets can also be purchased in the Zoo gift shop when it reopens in April. Want to become a Zoo member? Go here to learn more!

Shore Bank Donates $10,000 to Renew the Zoo Campaign!

SALISBURY -- Shore Bank, a full service community bank headquartered on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, has agreed to donate $10,000 to the Salisbury Zoo capital campaign "Renew the Zoo". The bank's gift will fund one of three interactive exhibits in association with the construction of the new William E. Morgan Environmental Center. Outside along the Tropics Trail, three new exhibits will help visitors better understand biodiversity and ecology. Can you outrun an alligator? Can you filter like a flamingo? These questions and others may be discussed in the new educational exhibits. By integrating species displayed along the trail, children will gain more knowledge about the world around them while having fun. "Shore Bank is proud of our investment in the community, and believe the Salisbury Zoo is a unique attraction on the Delmarva Peninsula," said Shore Bank Vice President Dennis Hebert. "The learning opportunities that exist there deserve to be supported." "Our local banks have been tremendously helpful during this capital campaign," said Bob Cook, chairman of the Renew the Zoo steering committee. "We are honored to have Shore Bank as a partner in this effort." Shore Bank first opened in 1961 and now has branches in Wicomico and Worcester Counties in Maryland, as well as Accomack and Northampton Counties in Virginia. The Renew the Zoo campaign is the zoo's first capital campaign. The goal is to raise $3 million for three key projects: a new animal health clinic, a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center, and an entirely new exhibit of Australian animals called Discover Australia! Go to www.renewthezoo.com for more information or to learn how to donate. Or call Stacy Weisner at (443) 880-8627.

First Shore Federal donates $30,000 to Renew the Zoo campaign!

SALISBURY -- The Renew the Zoo capital campaign continues to gain momentum with another local institution stepping up to donate funds.First Shore Federal, a locally-owned financial institution that plays an active role in our community, has donated $30,000 to the Renew the Zoo campaign. "The Zoo is a beloved attraction that makes our community special," said Marty Neat, president and CEO of First Shore Federal. "We are proud to support this campaign." The Renew the Zoo campaign was launched this year to raise $3 million for three projects at the zoo: to build a new animal health clinic, to build a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center where the old visitor's center is located, and to build an entirely new exhibit called Discover Australia! The First Shore Federal donation will go toward a Docent Learning Area in the new William E. Morgan Environmental Center. The learning area will be a tiki hut where docents will be able to make presentations to zoo visitors, including live animal discussions. To learn more about the campaign call Stacey Weisner at (443) 880-8627.

Photo Caption: Marty Neat, president and CEO of First Shore Federal, presents a check for $30,000 to J.P. Dubuque, president of the Delmarva Zoological Society, Inc., for the Renew the Zoo campaign.

Community Foundation Funds Renew the Zoo campaign!

SALISBURY -- The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore has donated $10,000 from the Bobbi Biron Fund to the Salisbury Zoo's Renew the Zoo campaign. "The Salisbury Zoo is such an asset to our community and we were thrilled to provide support to this effort, " said Spicer Bell, president of the Community Foundation. The Bobbi Biron Fund was established in 2004 as a bequest by the estate of longtime Salisbury resident Bobbi Biron, who shared a love for the Salisbury Zoo. The $10,000 will go toward an earlier matching grant from the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation and the Richard A. Henson Foundation. Together, the two foundations donated $600,000 in matching grants for Renew the Zoo. The Renew the Zoo campaign was launched this year by the Delmarva Zoological Society to raise $3 million to overhaul the zoo. Upgrades will include a new animal health clinic, a new interactive William E. Morgan Environmental Center, and new exhibit called Discover Australia! with animals from the land down under. "We are thankful that the Community Foundation understands how important this Zoo is to our community, and especially touched that the gift from Bobbi Biron continues to enhance her community and the zoo," said Renew the Zoo General Campaign Chairman Marty Neat.

PHOTO CAPTION: Spicer Bell, president of The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, presents J.P. Dubuque, president of the Delmarva Zoological Society, with a $10,000 donation to the Renew the Zoo campaign.

Richard A. Henson Foundation pledges $300,000 to Renew the Zoo!

SALISBURY – The Richard A. Henson Foundation, Inc. has awarded the Renew the Zoo campaign a $300,000 Challenge Grant to help raise money for the Salisbury Zoo, officials announced this week. The Zoo is in the middle of a $3 million capital campaign called “Renew the Zoo,” which will help build an animal health clinic, a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center, and an entirely new exhibit, Discover Australia! “The Salisbury Zoo presents an outstanding international exhibit of our natural environment for educational purposes. It adds to the area's quality of life and provides a positive economic contribution to our community, an excellent fit with the mission of the Henson Foundation. Mr. Henson believed that challenge grants multiply the value of contributions and support for community projects,” said Jon Sherwell, Chairman of the Richard A. Henson Foundation. The grant, made to enhance a challenge grant announced earlier by the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, means that each dollar contributed by the community will yield $3 to the Zoo.“We are so proud to have the Henson Foundation get on board with this important campaign,” said Bob Cook, co-chairman of the Renew the Zoo capital campaign.“We know the Zoo is an important asset to this community, and to have these two foundations help us raise the money necessary to make sure it stays that way is really exciting.Dick cared deeply about this community, and I believe he would have been proud to see community leaders coming together to help make the Zoo the best it can be.” “We see learning that goes on every day at the Zoo,” said Zoo Director Joel Hamilton. “I’m so excited to be a part of this effort to expand our collection, and enhance the Zoo experience for the visitors and the animals. I’m grateful to the Salisbury community for their continuing support.” To learn more about the “Renew the Zoo” campaign, or to make a financial contribution, call Stacey Weisner at (410) 742-3977 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (410) 742-3977 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting(410) 742-3977end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email her at staceyweisner@yahoo.com.

SALISBURY -- The Salisbury Zoo's capital campaign "Renew the Zoo" has been awarded a $300,000 challenge grant from the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, zoo officials announced on July 15. The funds will help build a walk-in aviary where visitors will be able to interact with a variety of birds including lorikeets and kookaburras. The aviary is part of a new exhibit called Discover Australia! which will feature animals from the land down under. "The Salisbury Zoo currently features animals from North and South America, so we are very excited to be planning an entirely new exhibit with a variety of species from the continent of Australia," said Zoo director Joel Hamilton. "We are thrilled to have the support of our local community and we so appreciate the generosity of the Perdue family." “We look forward to seeing the changes that will be taking place at the Zoo over the next few years and we’re honored to play a part in supporting those efforts,” said Bill Hetherington, Executive Director of the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. The challenge grant means that the Zoo will now have to match those funds with money raised in the community. Teams of volunteers will be seeking donations from individuals and businesses to be pledged over the next five years. "We all love the Zoo, and we know it brings so much to our community," said Renew the Zoo campaign co-chairman Marty Neat. "It's a free resource that now needs our help, and I'm pleased to be a part of this campaign. No matter the amount, everyone can help." Neat, who is also President and CEO of First Shore Federal, said the bank has pledged $30,000 for the zoo. The Renew the Zoo campaign, which officially launched in June, is trying to raise $3 million to help give the Salisbury Zoo a much-needed makeover. The upgrade will include a new Animal Health Clinic, which will allow the zoo to keep its AZA accreditation, a new William E. Morgan Environmental Center, and the Discover Australia! exhibit. To learn more or make a donation, call Stacey Weisner with the Delmarva Zoological Society at (443) 880-8627.

An experienced team of community leaders heads up the Renew the Zoo Cabinet

As the campaign to raise money to Renew the Zoo begins, a key group of community leaders has joined together to help lead this effort.

The Renew the Zoo Cabinet is being led by local businessmen Ron Alessi and George Mengason, both long-time friends of the zoo and leaders of the Salisbury Zoo Commission.

Bob Cook, a retired Army Colonel and former head of the Greater Salisbury Committee has been named Operations Chairman of the Cabinet, and Marty Neat, First Shore Federal Savings and Loan President is General Campaign Chairman. Debbie Abbott, senior vice president of Bank of Delmarva is the Major Donors Chairman.

Tony Sarbanes, a retired Army Reserve Major General, retired educator and former Wicomico County Councilman, is Government Chairman. JP DuBuque, of PKS & Company, PA, who also serves as chairman of the Delmarva Zoological Society Board of Directors, is the Cabinet Campaign Finance and Administration Chairman. Kim Nechay, Director of Development with the Salisbury University Foundation, serves as Recognition Chairman.

Matt Likovich with Delmarva Power and Cathy Bassett with CMBassett Consulting, LLC are co-chairs of the Marketing Committee. Also serving on the Cabinet is Joel Hamilton, Salisbury Zoo Director, Mary Seeman, Salisbury Zoo Marketing and Development Director, and Stacey Weisner, the Delmarva Zoological Society Campaign Associate.